Apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producing ferrous metals and the like. The apparatus comprises a bridge crane for supporting and lifting an anode and a transducer responsive to the bridge crane movement and supplying pulses to a bidirectional counter, said pulses being representative of the anode lifting from the operating position in the electrolytic bath to a reference plane.

i United State sP a-t en 1191 Messina [4 Nov. 26, 1974 [5 APPARATUSFOR-AUTOMATIC AND 2,131,868 10/1938 Bolton et al. 33/126.6 CONTROLLEDPOSITIONING 0F ANODES 3,402,851 9/1968 Ciotti et a1 222/26 X 3,523,8828/1970 Duclaux 212/129 x IN ELECTROLYTIC CELLS FOR 3,612,297 10/1971Lapostolet 212/128 x PRODUCING FERROUS -AND NONFERROUS METALS Inventor:Gianmario Messina, Via Don Luigi Palazzolo 7, Torre Boldone, ItalyFiled: May 14, 1973 Appl. No.: 359,692

Foreign Application Priority Data May 19, 1972 Italy 2932/72 US. Cl.212/21, 212/132 Int. Cl. B66C 17/00 Field of Search 212/11, 21, 39 R, 39MS, 212/86, 128, 129, 131, 132; 33/l26.6, 126.7A

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1926 Brown 212/131 PrimaryExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Joseph J. Rolla [5 7]ABSTRACT Apparatus for automatic and controlled positioning of anodes inelectrolytic cells for producing ferrous metals and the like. Theapparatus comprises a bridge crane for supporting and lifting an anodeand a transducer responsive to the bridge crane movement and supplyingpulses to a bidirectional counter, said pulses being representative ofthe anode lifting from the operating position in the electrolytic bathto a reference plane.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC AND CONTROLLEDPOSITIONING OF ANODES IN ELECTROLYTIC CELLS FOR PRODUCING FERROUS ANDNONFERROUS METALS This invention relates to an apparatus for automaticand controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells for producingferrous and nonferrous metals.

In the prior art anode positioning and replacing systems a referencemark relative to a sight must be provided on the anode shank, so as todetermine the distance to the bottom face of the anode to be replaced.The anode is then removed from the bath by a lifting means, such as abridge crane, thus providing for hooking the new anode to be placed inposition. By means of a metrical rod or caliper a reference mark has tobe provided on this new anode, so that the distance between this markand the bottom face of the carbon anode will correspond to the distanceas measured on the replaced anode. This would involve labour and manualoperations responsible of slowing down the replacement times. Moreover,the operator attached to such an operation has to operate underunpleasant conditions due to occasional high temperature of the anode tobe replaced. In addition to this, the repositioning of the new anode maybe not quite accurate, as a result of errors in observation by theoperator.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus forovercoming the above mentioned disadvantages, which is fully reliable,simple and inexpensive construction and enabling automatic andcontrolled positioning of the anodes.

According to the invention, this is accomplished by an apparatus forautomatic and controlled positioning of anodes in electrolytic cells forproducing ferrous and nonferrous metals, associated with an anodelifting and moving means, such as a bridge crane, characterized bycomprising a device sensitive to the movement which, by responding tothe movement of the lifting means moving along with the anode, willsupply to a counting means a series of pulses that, in a convenientmeasurement unit, will represent the anode lifting from its position inthe bath to a reference plane.

Another feature of the apparatus according to the present invention isthe possibility of providing an automatically operating means, as a pullis exerted on the anode by the bridge crane, to energize said countingmeans counting the pulses supplied by said device responsive to themovement.

These and further objects, features, details and advantages of theapparatus according to the invention will become more apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following brief description, given by way ofnot limiting example, when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a schematic view showing the apparatus according to theinvention, as associated with a bridge crane and when removing an anodefrom an electrolytic cell;

FIG. 2 shows the anode as removed from the electrolytic cell and placedon a reference plane; and

FIG. 3 shows a new anode which is also placed on the reference table andis then to be placed in the electrolytic bath.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, it will beassumed that anode 2 should be removed from bath 1 and replaced by a newanode designated by numeral 9 in FIG. 3. Anode 2 will then be liftedwith the anode carrying structure 4 by means of a bridge crane,schematically designated by numeral 3. The apparatus according to theinvention for indicating the difference in height between the lowerlimit of the electrode and the abutting plane 8 substantially comprisesa transducer 5 responsive, for example, to the linear movement of thecrane structure, or to the drum rotation, or to the movement of the ropeor cable and the like, and capable of supplying electrical pulses to acounter 6, preferably a bidirectional type of electronic digitalcounter, counting the pulses being received by said transducer 5. Byselecting a suitable calibration, so that the pulses would correspond toa movement as measured, for example, in mm. or cm., depending on thedesired accuracy or precision, the number of pulses shown by the counter6 will then correspond to the vertical movement of the anode, that is tothe difference in height L between the reference plane 8 and the bathsurface. The invention also provides a second transducer 7 responsive tothe weight of the anode on structure 4, at the pull beginning thistransducer 7 supplying a starting pulse to counter 6.

Thus, the operation of the apparatus according to the invention will beas follows.

The bridge crane provides for lifting the anode 2 from bath ll. As thepulling step begins, said weight sensitive transducer 7 supplies acounting start pulse to counter 6. In turn transducer 5 responsive, forexample, to the drum rotation or to the linear movement of the cranestructure, supplies the counter 6 with pulses representing said movementon the base of a predetermined measurement unit. The counter 6 willcount these pulses until the replaced anode is placed on the referenceplane 8. At this time, since the anode no longer exerts any weight onthe anode carrying structure 4, the transducer 7 will supply a stoppulse to counter 6, and therefore the number of pulses as indicated bysaid counter 6 will correspond to the difference in height L. Provisionis now made for lifting the new anode 9 from the reference plane 11corresponding to the reference plane 8 for the former anode 2. As soonas the new anode 9 begins to lift, the transducer 5 will supply again arelease pulse to counter 6, the latter under the control of transducer 5starting to count in a reverse direction, because of being abidirectional type of counter, as above stated. The new anode is thencarried onto the bath and will be correctly positioned when the counter6 is fully set to zero. The anode is then repositioned with extremeaccuracy on the bath 1 in its cross member 10.

Instead of an automatic operation, the invention also provides asemi-automatic operation. To this end, provision will be made on thecounter 6 for a counting start pushbutton and a counting stoppushbutton. In such a case, it would be unnecessary the use oftransducer 7. In this case, when desiring to replace anode 2, and whenthe anode carrying structure with the bridge crane is positioned on saidanode 2, and it is checked that the assembly is under pull condition,the counting start pushbutton is pressed, thereby energizing counter 6which will start to count the pulses supplied by transducer 5 in thesame manner as above described. Once the anode is positioned on thereference plane 8, the counter 6 is stopped by the counting stop pulse.A similar procedure is follwed for positioning the new anode. Wheredesiring to use this this manual control system,

while in the presence of said weight responsive transducer 7, provisionwill then be made for an automatic manual selector which, if necessary,would allow to dispense with said transducer 7 for starting and stoppingthe counting of counter 6 by means of said pushbuttons.

Although the invention has been herein described in connection with aparticular embodiment thereof, the invention is not to be understood aslimited to the details shown and described, but comprising all of thechanges and equivalent forms thereof. Therefore, any additions and/ormodifications as conceivable by those skilled in the art on the groundof the present inventive concept are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for automatically controlling the positioning of anodesin electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals,associated with anode lifting and moving means, comprising:

a bidirectional electronic counter;

a first transducer, responsive to the exertion of weight by said anodeon said lifting means as said lifting means begins to lift said anode,for producing a count start pulse to said counter;

a body member movable with movement of said anode lifting means;

a second transducer, responsive to movement of said body member, forproducing a series of pulses to said counter representative of the netmovement of said anode lifting means in a predetermined direction; froman operating electrolytic bath position to a position on a referenceplane;

said first transducer adapted to be responsive to the releasing ofexertion of weight by said anode on said lifting means as said liftingmeans positions said anode on said reference plane for producing a countstop pulse to said counter.

1. An apparatus for automatically controlling the positioning of anodesin electrolytic cells for producing ferrous and nonferrous metals,associated with anode lifting and moving means, comprising: abidirectional electronic counter; a first transducer, responsive to theexertion of weight by said anode on said lifting means as said liftingmeans begins to lift said anode, for producing a count start pulse tosaid counter; a body member movable with movement of said anode liftingmeans; a second transducer, responsive to movement of said body member,for producing a series of pulses to said counter representative of thenet movement of said anode lifting means in a predetermined direction;from an operating electrolytic bath position to a position on areference plane; said first transducer adapted to be responsive to thereleasing of exertion of weight by said anode on said lifting means assaid lifting means positions said anode on said reference plane forproducing a count stop pulse to said counter.